Top Things to do in San Pedro, Belize: Your Guide to Paradise
If you’re dreaming of a tropical getaway filled with adventure, relaxation, and breathtaking scenery, look no further than San Pedro, Belize. Nestled on the vibrant island of Ambergris Caye, this Caribbean gem offers a variety of activities that cater to every type of traveler. From exploring the stunning barrier reef to indulging in local cuisine, San Pedro promises an unforgettable experience. In this travel guide, I’ll highlight the top things to do in San Pedro, Belize, so you can make the most of your visit and create memories that will last a lifetime. Whether you’re seeking thrilling water sports, serene beachside relaxation, or a taste of authentic Belizean culture, this list has got you covered when you visit on of Belize’s most popular islands. Let’s dive into the ultimate San Pedro adventure!
San Pedro is the most visited destination in Belize! San Pedro is the town on Ambergris Caye which is a Caribbean island off the coast of Belize. San Pedro is popular for a reason and full of fun things to do! On my trip to Belize I only spent two days in San Pedro before heading over to it’s neighboring island, Caye Caulker, but there is plenty to do on this island you could easily spend a whole week!
Planning a trip to Belize? CLICK HERE to get my full Belize packing list!
Explore all the best things to do in San Pedro:
San Pedro Overview
Before we get started talking about all the best things to do in San Pedro, I’ll go over some key things you need to know when planning your trip to San Pedro, Belize such as where to stay and how to get to San Pedro from Belize City.
Where to stay in San Pedro?
San Pedro has several options of places to stay. San Pedro has plenty of beach resorts, boutique hotels, vacation rentals, and hostels for budget travelers! Deciding where to stay on your trip to San Pedro really depends on the type of vacation you want to have.
All-Inclusive: Alaia Belize is a Marriott resort and the first (and I think only) all-inclusive resort in Belize!
Best for luxury: Mahogany Bay Resort is a stunning Hilton property on Ambergris Caye that also offers beach club access!
Best for mid-range: Margaritaville Resort, Sun Breeze Suites, & Ramon’s Village Resort
Best for budget: Sand Bar Hostel is the best spot for budget travelers, backpackers, and solo travelers to stay in San Pedro Belize! They have dorms to fit your budget and private rooms for those who prefer to have their own space!
Getting to San Pedro
Getting to San Pedro is simple but can be a difficult process to plan without knowing all the information and right steps to take. First, you will need to get to Belize. If you are coming from the US, you will want to book your flight into Belize City.
Explore flight options here:
Once you’ve booked your flight into Belize City, you now have two different options for getting to Belize. Deciding between these two options will all depend on factors such as your budget and how much time you want to spend on travel.
Option One: Take a flight from Belize City to San Pedro
Your first option for getting from Belize City to San Pedro is to take a short 15-minute flight on a small plane. This is the quickest option of getting to San Pedro as you don’t even have to leave the airport after arriving in Belize City. This is however, the more expensive of the two options and costs roughly $170 for a round-trip ticket. (Make sure to book one-way if you plan on visiting multiple destinations in Belize)
The two airline options to travel around Belize are Maya Island Air and Tropic Air.
Option Two: Take the water taxi from Belize City to San Pedro
The most affordable but most time consuming option is to take the water taxi from Belize City to San Pedro. You will first need to leave the airport and take a taxi to the water taxi dock. Then you will take the water taxi from Belize City over to San Pedro which is around a 1-and-a-half-hour ride. There are two water taxi options and I recommend taking the San Pedro Belize Express!
Getting around in San Pedro
Lastly, before diving into all the best things to do in San Pedro, we will go over how to actually get around the island of Ambergris Caye once you are there! The cool thing about Belize and something that makes these islands unique to other destinations I’ve travelled to is that golf carts are the most common forms of transportation in the Belize Cayes.
Unlike it’s smaller neighbor Caye Caulker, San Pedro does have cars on the island since this island is quite a bit larger. Taxis are also available on San Pedro however, they can be expensive. Personally, I recommend renting your own golf cart for your time in San Pedro that way you can easily explore all the best things to do on the island!
Rent your golf cart for your trip to San Pedro here:
Now, let’s talk about all the best things to do in San Pedro, Belize!
See the Great Blue Hole
The Great Blue Hole is Belize’s top attraction and needs to be on everyone’s bucket list if you’re taking a trip to Belize. The Great Blue Hole is a giant sinkhole in the Caribbean located near the Lighthouse Reef and is one of the top tourist attractions in Belize.
There are two ways to see the Great Blue Hole: by boat and by air. From San Pedro, the blue hole is a 2.5 hour boat ride or 30 minute flight.
The blue hole is very popular among divers, but if you want the best view, I recommend taking a blue hole tour flight! From San Pedro, you can book a tour flight on Maya Island Air which leave at 9 am every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and costs $230 USD.
If you prefer to see the Great Blue Hole by water, there are diving and snorkeling boat tours that will take you out to see this once in a life time experience!
The Truck Stop
If you’re looking for one of the best things to do in San Pedro Belize at night, look no further than the Truck Stop! You’ll want to spend every night here on your trip to Belize. Start off with watching sunset from the dock in the back, then head over to the food truck yard for some delicious food, drinks, and live music!
The Truck Stop is a food truck yard in San Pedro and is a must visit one night on your trip to Ambergris Caye! There are several different food truck options, a bar, and live music. In the back you’ll find games such as corn hole, a pool where they play a move, and a dock with chairs perfect for catching a Belizean sunset! I personally loved the pizza food truck here!
Tip: Depending on where you’re staying in San Pedro, you may need to rent a golf cart to get to and from the Truck stop!
Snorkeling
Belize is home to the Belize Barrier Reef which is the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world! Because of this, Belize has some of the best snorkeling experiences I’ve ever seen. If you’re planning a trip to San Pedro, you absolutely need to set aside a day for a snorkeling trip!
When you go on a snorkel trip in the Belize Cayes, you typically have several stops. The 2 most popular stops are the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark and Ray Alley.
The Hol Chan Marine Reserve is a protected area of the Belize Barrier Reef that was created to protect the reef from destructive fishing and diving. On our snorkel trip, we saw tons of marine life here such as tropical fish, stingrays, nurse sharks, and even some spotted eagle rays!
Shark Ray Alley one of the most exciting parts of the trip and one of the most unique things to do in San Pedro Belize where you’ll get to swim with nurse sharks and stingrays. It is important to book an eco friendly tour that respects the space of the animals and does not allow their guests to touch them! I booked with Nauti Time Tours in Caye Caulker and loved the experience!
Tip: In order to protect the reef, make sure to pack some reef safe sunscreen to wear on your snorkel trip!
Secret Beach
If you’re searching for one of the best beaches in San Pedro, you won’t want to miss Secret Beach. With white sand and crystal-clear blue water, Secret Beach is one of the top things to do in San Pedro and probably the best beach on the island of Ambergris Caye! Secret Beach is about a 30 minute drive from San Pedro, so you will need to rent a golf cart to get there. If you want to make the most of your trip to San Pedro, it is best to book a golf cart for your whole stay.
Once you get to Secret Beach, you’ll want to spend the whole day. You’ll find many beach bars and restaurants such as Pirate’s and Blue Bayou here. Blue Bayou is located a little further down than the main area of restaurants but is worth the walk to enjoy their picnic tables in the water, the water table service, and activities such as floating beer pong!
If you’re looking for things to do in San Pedro Belize with kids, there’s also an inflatable waterpark in the water at Secret Beach – the activities are endless! The water at Secret Beach is also really shallow so it is a great spot for swimming! It is not as common to find swimmable beaches in San Pedro town so it is worth the 30 minute golf cart ride to make it out to Secret Beach if you’re looking for soft sand and clear waters!
Explore San Pedro Golf Cart Rentals HERE!
Day Trip to Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker is San Pedro’s much smaller and more laidback neighbor. These islands are very different, so I also recommend trying to stay on both on your trip to Belize. If you only have time to stay in San Pedro, Caye Caulker is close enough for a day trip and a highly recommended thing to do in San Pedro.
From San Pedro, you’ll take a 30 minute water taxi over to Caye Caulker. The San Pedro Express Water Taxi cost around $20 USD each way. There are many things to do in Caye Caulker but you should have time to hit some of the highlights in a day trip from San Pedro.
Caye Caulker is a small island, only 5 miles long, so you should be able to see the whole island in one day if you give yourself enough time. Some of the top things to do in Caye Caulker include spending the day at The Split and having lunch at the Sip n Dip or Lazy Lizard, going to Iguana Reef Inn for sunset to see the sting rays, feeding the tarpon at the tarpon dock, snorkeling, and checking out the sea horse sanctuary!
If you’re planning to go over to Caye Caulker, make sure to read my full Caye Caulker travel guide!
Also Read: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Caye Caulker, Belize
Eco-Iguana Corner Foundation
One of my favorite things to do in San Pedro was visit the Eco-Iguana Corner Foundation which is the Iguana Sanctuary in San Pedro. The sanctuary is free to enter but donations are highly appreciated to help keep the sanctuary running. They also sell authentic Belizean food as a way to support the sanctuary.
The Iguana Sanctuary is a conservation project to protect the iguanas in Belize. Inside the sanctuary, you can walk the path through the mangroves, interact with the iguanas, and feed them bananas! The sanctuary opens at 8 am and I recommend going early to beat the heat and the crowds!
Palapa Bar
If you’re looking for a beach bar to relax at without going all the way to Secret Beach, head over to Palapa Bar! This bar is located in San Pedro town in front of Sandbar Hostel which is also a great place to stay if you are traveling to San Pedro on a budget!
Palapa Bar is the perfect place to hang out for the afternoon. The bar is over the water and even has a tanning deck, steps down to a swimming area, and tubes where you can float and have a drink! If you stay until around sunset, you may even see some stingrays. The stingrays know this is when the fisherman come back near shore and you can find them swimming around the docks hoping to grab a snack from the fish cleanings!
Try taking a food tour
Taking a food tour is always a fun way to get to know the culture when traveling in a new country. I had such good food on my trip to Belize and Belize food tours are a fun way to try different authentic Belizean food!
The food is Belize is very fresh with lots of seafood and is highly influenced by the Caribbean. Some popular foods in Belize include rice and beans, fry jacks, and ceviche. The seafood in San Pedro is extra fresh and you can see the fishing boats come in everyday at sunset time! This is why you’ll likely see stingrays hanging around the docks each day around 4 PM. They know this is when the fisherman come in to feed their fish and the stingrays are looking for a snack.
